Harry Potter and the Eye of the Golden Dragon
by Aki-chan
Summary: Harry's life is in danger as the second war begins. Will calling on an ancient evil be the only way to save him? Sixth year story. please read and review
1. chapter one

Notes: Well, this is round two with this story. I've been writing this story since mid June '02 and since the release of the fifth installment, I've found myself having to rewrite all of my chapters to fit with all that has happened and so, I decided to just post the new story separately. I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my story and please leave your helpful criticism when you're done.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters from books for that matter. I do however, own the plot and the large amount of original characters that I have created to wreak havoc throughout this story.  
  
*****  
  
Harry Potter and the Eye of the Golden Dragon  
  
Chapter One  
  
The woman waited silently for something to happen, but as the seconds ticked away, it was apparent that nothing would. Had all this planning and preparation gone to waste? Had her entire life's work been nothing more then a joke?  
  
She sat in the tiny room, with its stagnant, musty air and thought about what she would do now that she had failed. She gazed around at the small tomb. Four large coffins lay facing in four different directions. The stone ground had deep, ancient carvings covering it. In the center of it all, a raised platform sat with a small, smoking cauldron on top of it.  
  
The woman impatiently paced around the room, thinking about what she could have done wrong when a tiny scratching noise made her stop in her tracks. The noise grew louder and more painful to hear until with a loud crash, the lid of one of the coffins flew off and smashed into pieces a few feet from where the woman stood. Her feet were frozen to the spot as she observed two more coffins follow in the first one's footsteps. Finally the fourth and final lid slid off and hit the ground with a heavy crack of stone. Then, there was silence once again.  
  
The torch that the woman had lit went out suddenly and the only thing that gave off any sort of light was the smoking cauldron on the platform. The woman's eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as a soft raspy sound filled the air. She could just make out four dark forms rising from the coffins that had once sat there silently for over a thousand years. There was a sound like a rustle of feathers and the scraping of claws that made her freeze.  
  
"We are awake."  
  
"Are you sure? How do you know?"  
  
"You're right. I can feel the air."  
  
"What should we do?"  
  
"Personally, I think we should kill them all."  
  
The woman looked around silently for the way out. Her whole body was tense and shaking with fear as she slid in the direction she thought was the door.  
  
"There's someone here."  
  
"I can't see a thing."  
  
"Neither can I, but I can smell it."  
  
The woman's scream caught in her throat as one of the dark forms turned toward her. She tried to make a run for it but the place where the door and been had sealed up. She fumbled for her wand but dropped it. She quickly moved to the ground and felt for the wand but it was useless in the dark. She watched in horror as the light from the cauldron disappeared, plunging her into darkness as the creatures moved toward her. The last thing she heard before she passed out was the soft sound of laughter and the tiny tinkling of a bell.  
  
* * * *  
  
With a sudden jolt, a young boy with a scar cut deep into his forehead awoke and looked around his room, short of breath and with a strange feeling in his stomach.  
  
The summer holiday seemed to slip quickly away to Harry Potter. From everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, it was no wonder Harry felt so drained of emotion and energy. He had felt the effects of the past school year sweep over him immediately upon his return home to Little Whinging.  
  
Harry still remembered how it was when Uncle Vernon had brought him home to 4 Privet Drive as if it were just yesterday.  
  
Even with the threats that were thrown around at the train station between his friends and Uncle Vernon, not many things had changed. Aunt Petunia was still bony and horse-faced but maybe because she was driven by fear, she seemed a little less harsh when she would snap at Harry. Uncle Vernon was still just as disgruntled and beady eyed and Dudley, well, was as Dudley as ever.  
  
When the four of them arrived home, Aunt Petunia and Dudley practically had run into the house. Uncle Vernon had dropped Harry's things right outside the front door then slammed the door after him. Harry let out a deep sigh as he gathered his belongings and dragged then up the stairs.  
  
Still feeling antsy, Harry immediately got to work on his summer assignments but not before opening the window for Hedwig, Harry's snowy white owl, so she would be able to go out and hunt.  
  
The days that followed were nonstop working days to rid him of the pent up anxiety.  
  
On the bright side, Harry was allowed to use the telephone on rare occasions to talk with Hermione and send messages to Ron but only at night so the neighbors wouldn't become suspicious of seeing an owl flying around during the daytime.  
  
A month and a half rolled by and Harry had done most of his work and would have probably finished it all. However, for no particular reason, when Harry laid down one Saturday night after sending his latest message to Ron, he fell into a particularly deep sleep and didn't wake the next morning. And strangely enough, he didn't wake up the next day or the day after that. By Tuesday, even the Dursleys were beginning to become uneasy.  
  
Vernon remembered what the hideous man with the creepy eye had told Harry.  
  
"If we don't hear from you for three days in a row, we'll send someone along..."  
  
The words pounded loudly in Vernon's ears. If Harry hadn't been down for food, then one of two things was happening. Either Harry was starving himself to make it look like his kind and generous relatives were not feeding him, or he was dead. No matter which assumption was the correct one, they would soon be here looking for Harry.  
  
So that Tuesday evening, when Harry didn't show for dinner once again, Uncle Vernon marched up the stairs and with one furious pound on the door, he broke it open. He charged in, expecting Harry to be gone, but instead found his nephew sleeping peacefully.  
  
Vernon shook the boy but Harry didn't stir. What Uncle Vernon didn't realize was just how much the pervious years at Hogwarts had finally caught up to him.  
  
"Vernon?"  
  
"Yes, dear?"  
  
"Is he alive?"  
  
"Yes," Vernon answered with an air of disappointment.  
  
"Is he sick?" Petunia called up the stairs.  
  
"No, just sleeping." He said, slamming the door behind him.  
  
"It's been three day since I heard that awful pet of his screeching outside the window at night." She whispered. "Those people won't be coming here will they?" Petunia asked, a hint of fear in her voice.  
  
"All I know is if he hasn't, it's not our fault." Vernon growled, closing the matter as he returned to the living room to watch TV with Dudley.  
  
Still whimpering in fear, Petunia returned to the kitchen to make supper.  
  
* * * *  
  
Though the Dursleys made a racket downstairs while Harry slept, he noticed nothing and continued to dream away.  
  
In his dream, Harry was right in the middle of the greatest Quittach game he had ever played. He was the seeker for the Gryffindor team and they were defending the house cup. His team consisted of the Weasley twins as beaters, Ron as the keeper and Professor Dumbledore, Hermione and Hagrid (who looked quite awkward on a broomstick considering his size) as the chasers.  
  
They were playing against Slytherin but Viktor Krum, a world famous Bulgarian Quittach player, was their seeker while Draco Malfoy and Professor Severus Snape were beaters. The rest of the team was made of random Slytherins whom Harry disliked immensely.  
  
Harry had just called a time out to discuss the score.  
  
"Three thousand, four hundred and twenty to ten! We've clobbered them for long enough. Let's finish this now!" Hermione told him.  
  
"Yeah! Wipe that that ugly smirk off Malfoy's face once and for all!" Ron said a determined sparkle in his eye and a menacing grin across his face.  
  
"Yes, Harry. We've had some good fun, but now I believe it's time for lunch." Dumbledore smiled behind his half-moon spectacles as he gazed at the clouds that passed over head.  
  
Harry nodded in agreement as his firebolt brought him above the stadium.  
  
"Better be careful, Potter." A voice yelled at him. Draco rose on his broom to meet Harry. "There's a bludger with your name on it."  
  
"Oh, go suck on a blast-ended skewt, Malfoy!" Ron growled.  
  
Draco gave a sour look and zoomed off to the other end of the field.  
  
"C'mon Harry! Knock them off their brooms!" Yelled Sirius from the stands.  
  
Harry had a strange feeling in his stomach as he waved at him just as Madam Hooch sounded the whistle to resume the game. There was a sudden rush as the quaffle and bludgers once again were in play.  
  
It took Harry only a few seconds to spot the glimmer of gold that hovered by Snape's left shoulder. Harry shot like a bullet towards the other end of the field to fetch the Golden Snitch before Krum however, he has seen the snitch too.  
  
They both went into a straight dive after the snitch, narrowly missing Snape who snarled something at them, but Harry wasn't listening. Harry watched as the tiny, winged ball took off as he and Krum closed in.  
  
"Go, Harry!"  
  
"You can do it!"  
  
"I believe in you, Harry!" were some of the shouts he heard as he passed his teammates on a swift decent towards the ground.  
  
Harry glanced at Krum. Krum's gaze was locked on the snitch. They sped, wind whipping loudly in their ears blocking out the roar from the immense crowd. They both stretched out their hands for the snitch as they dived downward...30 feet,...20 feet,...if Harry didn't pull up, he would crash but Krum showed no sign of going anywhere but after the snitch.  
  
Harry gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. He felt his hand close around the snitch as everything fell silent.  
  
When he opened his eyes, Harry was standing in complete darkness. The only sound he could hear was soft fluttering noise coming from the wings of the snitch. He reached into his robes and pulled out his wand.  
  
"Lumos." Said Harry, quietly.  
  
The light from the wand revealed nothing but a vast darkness. He looked around, confused but calm.  
  
Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He quickly turned to see a girl standing before him, in half-shadow. She had a delighted grin on her face and her hands were clasping the sides of her long red robes. She was rather tall, taller then Harry at least, by a good two inches.  
  
What Harry noticed most of all was the fact that she hovered a few inches above the ground. Her bright red robes and her raven black hair seemed to gently wave around her like there was no gravity holding her down.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry asked defensively but he had a strange feeling like he had seen her before.  
  
She didn't answer. The girl just continued to smile at him with a glowing admiration on her face.  
  
"That was the most exciting game of Quittach I've ever seen!" She said in with a tone of amazement.  
  
"What do you want?" Harry asked more forcefully as he took a step closer.  
  
The light of his wand revealed more of her. He also noticed a reflection of light streaking across in front of her like she was standing behind a pane of glass. Harry could just make out the edges of the glass; it was about the size of a doorway. He walked around to peek behind the glass to find nothing there. The image of the girl was only on one side of the glass as well. Harry did a full circle back to the girl. Her eyes followed Harry as he moved back in front of her.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry asked again with impatience.  
  
She looked as though she hadn't heard him. Suddenly, she stretched her arms out toward him. Instead of her hands stopping at the glass, they reached right through the glass to Harry. Her expression was that of eager waiting. She obviously wanted Harry to take her hands but a fear in his stomach made his take a step away. The girl opened her mouth to speak but her gaze suddenly left Harry's face and looked past him and into the darkness. She hands quickly retreated back into the mirror.  
  
"Looks like it's time to wake up, Harry Potter." She said as the darkness around him began to brighten.  
  
She gave him a wave and turned. Her body seemed to swim away into the darkness in the mirror before it too faded away. The nothingness around him quickly became an almost blinding light that engulfed him.  
  
"Wake up I say!" Vernon roared as he shook Harry.  
  
"I'm awake!" Harry groaned, half in a daze.  
  
"It's been two weeks you lazy litter bugger. Now get up!"  
  
Harry immediately sat up and put his glasses on.  
  
"Two weeks!"  
  
"Yeah, and we thought you had died." Vernon sniffed. "But no such luck." He added as he left the room and trudged downstairs. "Your Aunt even took up the job of writing letters to those people of yours."  
  
Harry couldn't believe it. This was a strange joke for them to play on him. In fact, he thought it was awful. He stood with a wobble and walked down stairs and into the kitchen. Vernon sat at the table reading the paper while Petunia cooked breakfast. Dudley sat snorting loudly at a TV program.  
  
Harry took a seat and glanced at the newspaper. His eyes opened in shock. The date read 'Saturday, August 3rd'. Now he could believe it. The Dursleys had let him sleep through his birthday. He had been sixteen for three days and he hadn't been awake to enjoy them.  
  
"How could you let me sleep for two weeks!" Harry suddenly yelled. "And my letters! What have you been writing to my friends?"  
  
"How dare you raise your voice at this table!" Aunt Petunia shouted as she placed a tiny plate of toast in front of Harry. "Now eat, you're looking disgustingly thin. I wrote that we were all going on a vacation and that we didn't know when we would return but you would write first thing when you got home. Now go upstairs and tell them not to come near my house!"  
  
"Oh no," Dudley said with as sneer as he rolled his fat self into the kitchen for breakfast. "I was just getting used to not having you around again." He took a seat on a chair that creaked under the stress as Dudley sat.  
  
Aunt Petunia piled bacon on his plate and gave him a good morning kiss. "My Duddy-kins is getting so grown up. He's got to start eating meals fit for a man."  
  
"More like an elephant." Thought Harry, as he chewed on his toast, which tasted better then expected considering he hadn't eaten in two weeks.  
  
Harry tramped unhappily up to his room to find Hedwig's cage empty and the window wide open. He wondered where Hedwig had got to but knew she would probably be back soon enough.  
  
He slumped onto his bed and instantly three owls flew in. Hedwig looked quite happy to see Harry awake as she dropped two large packages on Harry's lap. The other, smaller owl which Harry knew as 'Pig', who belonged to Ron, tiredly but still excitedly flew around with a package attached to him. Finally, the third owl dropped a package and a letter and left but not before giving Harry an annoyed look for having to wait till he awoke to drop the package off and leave.  
  
Feeling ill tempered and groggy from all that had happened, Harry was in no mood to deal with annoyed owls. Hedwig went straight to her cage for a drink of water while Pig continued to flutter around, hooting loudly.  
  
Harry fell back onto his bed and stared at the ceiling. He had never been so miserable and mad. He wanted to go back to sleep but Pig's incessant hooting kept him in reality. He was sure he was having an interesting dream before but couldn't quite remember.  
  
Frustrated, Harry blindly threw his pillow at the little owl. It fell a couple feet short of Pig.  
  
"Shut up." He muttered under his breath as he once again drifted off into a quiet slumber. 


	2. chapter two

Harry Potter and the Eye of the Golden Dragon  
  
Chapter Two: Birthday Wishes  
  
Harry awoke from his latest slumber feeling more tired then when he had first laid down. A strange feeling washed over him as he realized he had no idea what day it was. He only thought the worst. Maybe this time he had fallen asleep for a month and he had missed the beginning of the school year.  
  
Quickly and quietly, Harry ran to the window and peered out. It was a beautiful, clear night. He then turned to Hedwig who was sleeping peacefully in her cage. The packages the owls had brought him lay at the foot of the bed.  
  
In seconds, Harry was running down the stairs to the living room where the Dursleys sat chortling at a television program. Dudley's large self sat the closed to the TV blocking the view of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon but they did not say a word about it.  
  
"What day is it?" Harry shouted, making all three, even himself, jump with surprise.  
  
"Same day as it was when you asked this morning." Uncle Vernon sneered at him.  
  
Harry let out a great sigh of relief at this news. He had only slept the day away and not the month. Dismissing the unhappy side-glances of his relatives, Harry ran back up the stairs to his room. He looked at the packages with a relieved feeling flowing through him and smiled. Though he had missed his birthday, there was no reason he could not celebrate it now.  
  
The first package he drew his attention to was from Ron and Hermione. According to their card, they had put money together to get Harry a most spectacular gift.  
  
He untied the twine and unwrapped the brown paper to reveal a beautifully stained wooden box with gold print on the top. The print read, 'Official Quittach World Cup Equipment'. These words excited Harry beyond compare. When he opened the box that resembled the quittach case, it revealed a quaffle, quite new and untouched sitting in a cushion of red velvet. Harry picked it up and noticed writing on it. The quaffle had been autographed by all seven members of the Irish Quittach Team World Champions from a few years back. That was one game of Quittach the Harry would never forget.  
  
He then looked at the underside of the lid to see there was even a compartment for a Golden Snitch. And when he opened it, a snitch, bright and glittering fell into his hands. The wings fluttered open and it hovered in front of Harry's face for a few moments. He noticed it too had writing on it. The name "Viktor Krum" scribbled on it. Harry grinned largely at this before replacing the snitch back into its compartment.  
  
Harry proceeded to the second package brought by Hedwig. It contained a large birthday cake, that when taken out of the box, it expanded. This made it impossible for Harry to put it back. He happily solved this problem by eating a large portion of it.  
  
He put the rest of it into the box and slid the first two presents under his bed. He then moved onto the tiny package brought by Pig. It was neatly wrapped in rather interesting looking wrapping paper. The paper swirled with color and every few seconds, the design changed. Before he opened it, Harry untied a tiny piece of parchment that was attached on the top of it. Harry was quite surprised when he began to read the letter out loud but was thankful nonetheless.  
  
"Dear Harry, I overheard from Ron that your birthday was coming up so I decided to get you something. The present once belonged to a great uncle of ours but he didn't need them anymore due to the fact that he died just the other day. It was a terrible accident but a rather funny story. Anyway, Happy Birthday! -Ginny PS- don't let Ron know that I used Pig, Errol was sick, thanks." Harry's eyebrows raised at the contents of the letter but it was a nice gesture on her part. He made a mental note to thank Ginny personally. He unwrapped the paper and opened a rectangular box to reveal a pair of silver spectacles. The glasses looked rather new. However, Harry was hesitant to put them on. They were better looking then is own but something about them being fresh off a dead person made him uneasy.  
  
Reluctantly, Harry took off his glasses and put the new ones on. Everything was blurry at first, but the lens began to focus to fit Harry's own prescription. He walked over to the mirror to have a look. Harry was impressed; he did like the way they fit. Harry gently put them back in the case and put his old pair on. He wouldn't dare wear the nice pair in front of the Dursleys. They would probably become suspicious and think he stole them.  
  
Harry then moved to the last package that was brought by an unknown owl. He guessed it was from Hagrid but the writing on it looked too formal and neat. He opened the tiny card and was even more confused. All it said was 'From Hagrid, To Harry Potter, Please handle with care'. Harry gave a worried look at the box instantly. It was perfectly wrapped and tied with string. He picked it up and shook it. There was a large object in there but he had little idea what it was. Harry ripped the brown paper from it and read what was printed in shiny gold writing on yet another box. 'Kristy Kreem's Klassic Kakes'.  
  
"Oh good, it's just food." Harry thought.  
  
He opened the box, which expelled a most wonderful smell of fresh baked goods. Inside, it contained a cake in the shape of a dragon. As Harry reached in the box to take a finger full of icing, the cake snapped at him and hissed at him with a bright red forked tongue. He jumped unexpectedly as the cake stared at him. Maybe he would try to eat this one when it was sleeping.  
  
Harry finally got to the Hogwarts letter which contained a list of supplies of what he would need for the coming school year, along with a list of books for class.  
  
After Harry looked over the list, he soon came to a grim realization. How was he suppose to get his books? He couldn't ask Ron or Hermione. From what Harry read in the letters Ron sent him, the Weasley's were having some rocky times trying to bring their family back together and Hermione and her parents were touring Spain for the next two weeks.  
  
After several minutes of pondering he decided that he would go to Diagon Alley alone. He was sixteen now, practically an adult. How hard could traveling to London really be?  
  
First he though that if had some floo powder, he could zip there in seconds. However, he had none and even if he did, after the Weasley's entrance two years ago into their fireplace, Uncle Vernon had it cemented, bricked and nailed shut. The once beautiful fireplace was now useless and rather ugly in Harry's opinion. He could always fly on his Firebolt but it was too far away and Harry had accidentally broken the compass that had come with his broomstick care kit. Besides, it was too risky if someone was to spot him.  
  
Harry's last option was the Knight Bus. After what happened three years ago, he would rather not run into Stan Shunpike again. Eventually, the third option won over the other two.  
  
"What is the chance that Stan is still there?" Harry asked himself.  
  
For the next couple of days, Harry planned his trip out. He would stay in his room as if asleep for a day or two. He found that Uncle Vernon really liked the idea of Harry staying confined in his room and it gave Vernon a reason to tell Harry off as well.  
  
"Lazy", and "good for nothing" were some of the things that Vernon would mumble when Harry immerged from his room once in a while to get something to eat because old birthday cake just did not sit in his stomach right.  
  
One Sunday night, with about two weeks left of the holiday, Harry made his move. He waited till about midnight. Vernon's snores could be heard echoing through the house. Harry quietly dressed and threw the invisibility cloak over himself and made his way to the front door.  
  
He unlocked the bolt, slipped through the door and into the night. He walked to the curb in front of the house and looked around. All of Privet Drive was dark and asleep. A heavy fog lay over the narrow street, making it impossible for Harry to see more then ten feet in any direction.  
  
He held his wand firmly and raised it. He felt awkward standing there though no one was watching him.  
  
Then, two bright headlights blinded Harry as the Knight Bus rolled in with a loud 'pop'. The door flung open and a rather large boy in purple uniform stumbled out.  
  
"Er...welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency...uh...transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just, um..." The boy lifted up his palm and read, "stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go." He let his hand drop. "Sorry, I haven't gotten it down just yet. I just started a day ago." He sighed, whipping sweat from his forehead on his sleeve.  
  
"That's ok. You did good." Harry said encouragingly.  
  
"Thanks." He smiled uneasily. "Oh yeah, ahem. My name is Herbert Cliffstock and I'll be your conductor for the evening." He motioned for Harry to board and then followed hesitantly.  
  
Harry stepped on board and was greeted with a heart sinking-  
  
"Neville!"  
  
Stan Shunpike sat happily behind the wheel of the bus. His acne had cleared up but he still had that anxious look on his face like he always had a question on his mind.  
  
"Didn't fink I'd remember you, didn't choo?"  
  
"Hullo Stan." Harry managed to say breathlessly.  
  
"Well, Ern, good ol' Ern. 'E retired and look! They promoted me! So, w'ere we off to?" He chimed happily.  
  
"Diagon Alley, please." Harry said taking a bed in the far back in order to discourage and kind of conversation.  
  
Herbert took a seat next to Stan, who in light of Harry's return, decided to retell the whole story of how they had first met.  
  
"So then, Fudge, thee Cornelius Fudge, says, 'Neville? This 'ere boy is 'Arry Potter!'"  
  
Harry heard Stan reply the whole story has Herbert just gawked at Harry. He turned over in the warm sheets, hoping the ride would be over soon. Though Stan proved to be a much worse driver then Ernie had been, Harry managed to fall asleep. Then with a loud bang and a sudden stop that almost made Harry fall out of the bed, the Knight Bus arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
" 'Ere ya are Neville!" Stan shouted above the roar of the engine.  
  
Harry quickly paid his fee and left. He looked about the quiet London street. The sky was turning an orange color as dawn approached. Harry watched the bus take off with a noise that would wake the whole city, then opened the door to the inn and stepped inside.  
  
Tom, the bartender who had been there for as long as Harry could remember passing through the Leaky Cauldron, busily shuffled around as he prepared the cozy inn for what looked to be a busy day ahead. As his gaze fell on Harry, a large toothless grin spread across his weathered face.  
  
"Harry Potter, sir! How can I help you this fine mornin'?" He asked gently.  
  
"Just going to do some shopping for school." He answered, returning the smile.  
  
"Ah! Another year at Hogwarts!" Tom said softly with an inward smile as he whipped the counter of the bar. "Well, Harry Potter, sir, it's too early for the shops to be open just yet. Why don't you have some breakfast while you wait?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I don't have any money."  
  
"That's quite alright. It's on me." He said nodding his head as he continued to wipe the counters.  
  
Harry tried to decline gratefully, but Tom wouldn't hear of it. He sat Harry down and before him, a very generous meal was brought. After a hesitant second, the smell of the hot breakfast made his stomach growl unbearably. Harry dug into the bacon and toast while pouring syrup on his flapjacks. It wasn't until his third helping of bacon that he realized just how hungry he really was.  
  
Also while Harry ate, Tom engaged in small talk with him. Harry talked about he was getting along at Hogwarts, the courses, the teachers, friends there, the quittach season was looking promising all the way to the weather.  
  
All the while, more and more witches and wizards, old and young, some with children began to enter. Some asked for a room, others just wanted a drink.  
  
Tom greeted them all with a toothy grin. A few of the travelers gave Harry a look. They gave a quick glace at his scarred forehead, a questionable look at his face before moving on.  
  
Harry normally wouldn't have minded the stares, after five years of it, he was quite used to it. However, this time, Harry was alone. He told himself in the back of his mind that he needed to be extra cautious. These were now dangerous times, especially for him. He quickly felt for his wand in his pocket and took a quick look around before taking another bite of his breakfast.  
  
Eventually, the morning had set in and the hustle and bustle of the crowd coming in began to make the Leaky Cauldron seem much smaller then it did an hour ago.  
  
Harry thanked Tom, gathered his things and then moved toward the brick wall in the back of the inn. With his wand, Harry tapped the third brick from the left above the trash bin and waited for the doorway to Diagon Alley to open.  
  
As the bricks moved aside, the noise of the crowd grew louder. Wizarding folk of all shapes and sizes ran about from shop to shop as their many splendid colored robes swished around them.  
  
Harry retrieved his letter containing what he needed and read through the list as he made his was to Gringotts.  
  
After taking what he needed from his vault, Harry went directly to Florish and Blotts to buy his new textbooks. An assistant helped him find his books such as 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6' by Miranda Goshawk, 'Find Out Your Future with the Flip of a Card' (which came with it's own set of tarot cards) by Andrea Dewinter, Advanced Transfiguration, a history text, an encyclopedia of rare beasts and a book of dangerous plants.  
  
After the books were all wrapped, Harry went to Madam Maulkin's for a new set of robes. After stopping for a quick bite to eat and a look at the new model broomsticks, Harry made his way to the potion shops for ingredients that he was missing.  
  
However, when he got there, none of the potion stores carried what he needed from the list. When he finally asked where he could the said ingredients, the shop owner shook his head uneasily.  
  
When Harry had left, he felt a soft tap on his shoulder. He turned to find an old man with a croaked nose and large lopsided ears pointing with a bent finger in the direction of Knockturn Alley.  
  
"Some of those items you need are pretty rare or extremely dangerous, boy. Why would you be needin' stuff like that?"  
  
"They're on my list. I need them for school." Harry answered as he held up his paper.  
  
"School, eh? Well now, I wonder what kinda things they're teachin' you kids. No doubt, out of your league. However, if you think you're man enough, you can find all you need down that way. I'll show you."  
  
"Thank you, sir. But I know the way." Harry frowned.  
  
"Course ya do, boy. But it's for your protection. Most people that wander around there, well, they'll be wanting your head, Harry Potter.  
  
"I've been there before and I can take care of myself."  
  
"Heh, sure you can. Thought I would offer anyway." He sneered. "Well suit yourself, boy." The old man turned and began a slow walk down the busy street and disappeared into the crowd.  
  
Harry decided to bring all his things back to the Leaky Cauldron. They were too much to carry around with him everywhere. He then asked Tom to hold the items for him and that he would pick them up before he left for the day.  
  
Harry then took his wand out of his pocket before continuing. The last time he was in Knockturn Alley, well, he remembered it hadn't been a pleasant visit. But he was twelve when that happened. Four years later, Harry was sure he could take care of himself. At least he had confidence that he could do something on his own.  
  
He strode in the direction of Gringotts Bank and then took the left path. It wasn't that difficult to find Knockturn Alley, just follow the increasing shadows it seemed. Moments later, Harry found himself walking alone a horridly familiar street with dark robbed figures crouched in doorways or glaring down at him through dirty and broken glass windows.  
  
Whether they knew he was Harry Potter or not, he was too out of place there. He now understood why kids never ventured anywhere near this place. But why would Snape ever make a list of ingredients that would force students to come here?  
  
The constant feeling of being followed was starting to worry him as he found the apothecary and practically sprinted in. He took a deep sigh of relief as he looked out the window and found nothing but an empty street. He was so sure he had felt someone looming over him. Either way, he was safe now and put his wand away.  
  
He turned away from the street and leap back as he found himself nose to nose with the old man who he had talked to in front of the potions shop earlier.  
  
"Glad to see you made it boy, hehe." He leered at Harry before limping his way over behind the counter.  
  
"You!" Harry managed to say.  
  
"Yes, me. Now, do you want your items or not? I've got them all around here somewhere. Lemme just see your list again and I'll gather them for you."  
  
Harry handed over the list and grimaced as he watched the man take out a dirty pair of spectacles, spit on them and them clean them on his tattered overcoat. Harry wouldn't have minded so much if he hadn't seen a tooth fall out of the man's mouth in the process.  
  
"Whoops, there goes another one." The man laughed as he pocketed the tooth. "I'll save that for later." He smiled. Harry counted five teeth left.  
  
The man then disappeared into the back of the store to get Harry's potion ingredients. While Harry waited, he strode around the small shop looking at the horrible and grotesquely disturbing things that filled the shelves.  
  
"Well, here ya are, boy." He said handing a large greasy leather pouch to Harry. "It'll be 13 Galleons and 6 Knuts."  
  
"What? That's too much! I doubt I have that much on me."  
  
"These are rare ingredients! Expensive for me to carry therefore expensive for you to buy!" He grumbled as he pointed a gnarled finger at him. "But I can bargain. How much do you have on ya?"  
  
"8 Galleons and 15 Knuts."  
  
"Done! But you're getting' the better half of the deal." He sniffed as he greedily took the money from Harry and began counting it. "Pleasure doing business with you, boy. Now, don't get lost on your way back, heh." He smiled without looking up from the money on the counter.  
  
"Yeah, thanks..." Harry muttered quietly as he pocketed the leather pouch in his robe pocket and stepped out the door.  
  
Just as Harry was about to take out his wand again, a hand suddenly covered his mouth. His shouts were muffled as he felt a sharp jab of a wand tip poke him violently in the back. The next thing he knew, he found himself being dragged into a dark alley against his will.  
  
"Keep screaming, see what good that'll do yeh." Growled a voice in Harry's ear.  
  
Harry used all his strength he had to try and wriggle free from the man's grasp. He had almost successfully done it when the man suddenly shoved him so forcefully to the ground that it knocked the wind out of him.  
  
"Stupefy!" The man hissed.  
  
Harry suddenly felt like he had been punched in the stomach by the Whomping Willow before everything went black and he lost consciousness. 


	3. chapter three

Harry Potter and the Eye of the Golden Dragon  
  
Chapter Three  
  
When Harry awoke, he felt like his chest was being squeezed tighter with every breathe he took. His hard pounded and he couldn't move his arms, even if they weren't tied down, he doubted that he would even have the strength to lift them anyway.  
  
He opened his eyes to darkness. At first, he thought that his captor had struck him blind, but slowly he realized that to be false. As his eyes adjusted, he made sense of his surroundings.  
  
He was in a square room with a window on either wall to his right and left. If front of him, a door, the only way out. The windows had been blacked out, however, light passed in through the cracks and fell on the old brass doorknob, which managed to light the rest of the room with a dull, gray light. The worst part of it all, was the smell. It was like he was surrounded by sewage and rotten eggs.  
  
Harry wriggled in the ropes that bound his hands and feet to the only piece of furniture in the room, an old creaky chair. But the ropes were too tight and he was too weak.  
  
There was noise outside, he guessed that he was still in Knockturn Alley, but as to where exactly, he hadn't the slightest idea. Maybe in one of the many abandoned houses that filed along the deserted street. Second floor? Third floor, maybe?  
  
As Harry sat there, the brass doorknob turned and the door creaked open loudly and a dark form moved into the room.  
  
"Finally awake are you? Good. I hope you don't mind the ropes. Can't have you getting away or anything. I had to use your wand. It seems mine was broken in that little scuffle in the alleyway."  
  
From his pocket, the man pulled out what looked to be Harry's wand. He waved it around and then re-pocketed it.  
  
"You know for being the famous Harry Potter, you're not all that frightening. From the stories I've heard I was sure you were a seven-foot tall troll or something like that. I'll never come to understand just how you were able to elude the Dark Lord for this long."  
  
The man chuckled before shuffling closer to Harry.  
  
"Look at you. You're just a boy. Lucky me, I guess."  
  
The Death Eater chuckled hoarsely and moved over to the window and peeked through a crack. The light that fell on the man's face was not enough to see any clear facial characteristics. His long dark robe was pulled down so it obscured his eyes so that only below the tip of his long nose could be seen.  
  
"Let's get down to it, shall we?" He turned and smiled.  
  
In the smallest sliver of light, his wicked smile was easy to make out. His teeth were bright white and almost perfect. The only flaw was a gold canine that dimly glittered in the light.  
  
"First thing's first. You need to answer some questions."  
  
He sighed deeply as he moved toward Harry. The smell didn't seem to bother him at all, while Harry did his best not to breathe through his nose.  
  
"I'll never tell-"  
  
"Shut Up!" He roared. "I'm fully aware that you won't be cooperating with me. So I came prepared."  
  
He grinned once more as he took out a small vile of clear liquid.  
  
"Know what this is?"  
  
"Veritaserum." Harry said slowly as glared at the bottle that he could just make out in the darkness.  
  
"Why yes, yes it is. Good boy. It's my favorite of all the potions in the world, but it's not easy to make. However, I'm quite skilled at potion making and I never miss a chance to use "  
  
"I don't understand. What do you want from me?"  
  
"I have a few inquiries for personal reasons. I have big plans you know."  
  
He started to pace around Harry in a slow circle.  
  
"Actually, you are suppose to be delivered to the Dark Lord at sundown, but I thought, well, it wouldn't hurt if I got a little information from you first, before I kill you."  
  
"But won't Voldem-"  
  
Before Harry could finish, a hand came down on his face, knocking his glasses off and sent sharp pains tingling all over his cheek.  
  
"You will not say his name. You will address him as 'the Dark Lord' unless you want me to teach you some more manners."  
  
Harry gasped for air and tried to ignore the pain but it was too much for him.  
  
"What were you saying before I cut you off?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Speak!" He yelled, raising his hand once more.  
  
"Won't the Dark Lord be angry with you if you bring me to him dead?" He managed to get out at last.  
  
"Ah, good question. Trying to persuade me to spare your life for a little longer?" He said sounding rather amused. "Heh, well, at this point it doesn't matter. I can deliver your head to him with or without the body attached. It's your choice."  
  
"I like my head where it is, thanks." Harry responded coldly.  
  
"Still have a mouth on ya, even though you're about to die. Don't worry, I'll fix that. You'll be begging for death soon enough. But for now, I'll just settle for this."  
  
The Death Eater then pulled the stopper from the top of the vile and advanced. He stepped behind Harry and wrapped an arm around his neck. Harry struggled for air but refused to open his mouth.  
  
"Open wide, Harry!" He laughed as he pushed the vile up to Harry's lips.  
  
"Reducto!" Came a shout as the old door in front of Harry was blasted apart.  
  
The Death Eater fumbled for Harry's wand and in the process, dropped the vile, spilling it all over Harry.  
  
"Crucio!" He shrieked.  
  
Who ever was at the door tried to block but was in the middle of "Protego" when the spell hit, sending painful shouts ringing through the room.  
  
"Impedimentia!" Came another voice as a dark form entered the room.  
  
The spell was a direct hit and it sent the man to the floor, away from Harry.  
  
"Expelliarmus!"  
  
And there was a clatter of what sounded like a wand hitting the floor.  
  
The Death Eater roared with anger as he jumped to his feet and charged the dark form that blocked his way out. Harry couldn't tell what was going on but it sounded like a violent struggle.  
  
"Incarceros!"  
  
A shout of surprise, a thud of a body hitting the floor and then silence.  
  
Harry looked around frantically. Someone lay a few feet from him on the ground and wasn't moving. Suddenly, a second form entered the room.  
  
"I...I think I'm dead!" Said the man the floor. "It's all going black...this is the end! I can't move!"  
  
"Oh shut up already. You're not dead." Said the other man as he walked over to the corner and picked up Harry's wand.  
  
"Who's there?" Harry asked trying to hide his fear.  
  
"It's alright, Harry, it's just us. Lumos!"  
  
And light filed the room.  
  
Harry squinted from the sudden burst of light.  
  
"Fred. George. How are you?"  
  
"No time for small talk Harry. Let's get you out of here first." Said Fred as he tapped Harry's bonds, which made them loosen and fall to the ground.  
  
"Hey now, what about me."  
  
"Get up you big baby." Fred said giving him a hand. "Here's your wand." He smiled as he handed it back to Harry.  
  
When George was freed, the three of them quickly made it back to Diagon Alley.  
  
"Alright, so who did you come here with? Is Ron and Mum around here somewhere?"  
  
"No, I came alone." Harry said quietly.  
  
Fred and George looked down at Harry with stern faces.  
  
"Now, Harry," George began, "We're all for going off alone and breaking the rules but this is dangerous."  
  
"I'm old enough to take care of myself, George. I could have handled it."  
  
"Yes, we know." Fred sighed. "But this isn't Hogwarts. When you get caught out here in the real world, you don't get a detention. You were lucky that we saw you in Knockturn Alley. We were just replenishing our supply of dragon dung and spider eyes when we saw you step out of that shop and get ambushed like that. What were you doing there?"  
  
"Getting the ingredients on my list for school." Harry said going through his pockets and taking out the list.  
  
Fred and George looked thoroughly confused as they read over it.  
  
"What's this? This can't be right. Even in seventh year we didn't have to deal with these items. Harry, this list, it can't be real."  
  
"Where did you get it?" George asked as he folded the list and handed it back to Harry.  
  
"It came in the mail with my other letters from school." He replied  
  
"That doesn't sound good. You need to tell someone immediately. If you got these letters with your others, they either know where you live, or are working from the inside."  
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"Someone from Hogwarts could have sent this to you."  
  
"I say, it's Filch."  
  
"I'll second that one, bro. He's always been rather suspicious if you ask me."  
  
"Maybe the owl was intercepted by someone." Harry reasoned.  
  
"Maybe." Fred and George shrugged.  
  
"Take it to Dumbledore. He'll know what to do."  
  
The three of them nodded in agreement.  
  
"Now that that's settled, let's get you home, Harry."  
  
The three walked quickly and vigilantly toward the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"You don't think there were more of them, do you?" Asked George.  
  
"No, from what he said, it sounded like no one knew we were there but him."  
  
"Good. Makes it easier for us to get you out of here safely. So how did you get here anyway? After the way we trashed your fireplace two years ago, I didn't think they'd let you use it."  
  
"No, I took the Knight Bus."  
  
"Gah! Are you crazy Harry? That bus came barreling out of hell, it did. We tried riding it once. I felt sick for a week." Fred exclaimed, rather horror struck.  
  
"I don't mind it so much." Harry lied.  
  
They gathered all of Harry's things and helped him out to the London street in the muggle world. However, when Harry summoned the Knight Bus, they looked less then thrilled.  
  
"I'll be fine on my own. You don't have to do with me."  
  
Fred and George looked at each other uneasily.  
  
"As soon as I get home, I'll send you a letter. I promise."  
  
"Well alright. Send us a letter immediately."  
  
Harry thanked the Weasley twins and boarded the bus. Harry took a bed to the far back slid into the covers.  
  
A loud bang, a sudden jolt and they were off. His limbs felt so heavy with exhaustion that he could barely move. His wrists were still aching from the rope that had bound him.  
  
His eyelids dropped as he thought of what the man had told him. He knew it was only the beginning. If Voldemort didn't need Harry alive anymore then he was sure he would never be safe anywhere ever again. Well, except for Hogwarts. In less then a week, he would be back at school. That was the only thing he had to comfort himself.  
  
* * * *  
  
He drifted in and out of consciousness as the bus swerved and jerked. It was as if Harry has just laid down when he heard Herbert called to him.  
  
"Privet Drive sir, I uh, yes, I think this is your stop."  
  
Reluctant to leave the warm linen sheets, Harry sighed and sat up. Herbert was dragging his luggage out the door when Harry reached the front of the bus.  
  
"Well, see ya around Neville!" Stan nodded happily as he sped off.  
  
Harry carried his new things to the door and jiggled the knob silently to see if it was open. Being around midnight, the Dursley's had already gone to bed and the door was bolted shut.  
  
Harry pulled out his wand but stopped himself. Being expelled was not what he needed right now. He reached his long arm through the mail slot and felt around for a lock. His shoulder muscles strained as he reached for the bolt latch above the doorknob. It seemed out of reach for him but as Harry thought about giving up, he made one final grab and with a quiet click, the bolt unlocked. He twisted the knob slowly and began pulling his things inside. He shut the door behind him and began to creep to the stairs.  
  
Suddenly, his foot caught on the invisibility cloak and with a loud thud, Harry landed on his side on the hall rug. He drew in a sharp breath as he listened intensely on the floor. There were some muffled whispers from upstairs and then a door creaked open.  
  
Harry quickly stood and this cloak over his packages. He could just make out Uncle Vernon in the dark, shot gun in hand, descending the stairs.  
  
"Who's there?" Vernon hissed. "I'm armed and I know how to use it!"  
  
"It's me Uncle." Harry called, pretending to be in a sleep haze. "I woke up and came down for a glass of water. I must have tripped on the rug."  
  
"Boy! You scared the daylights out of your Aunt! Why, I should just shoot you where you stand. Get to bed!" He said hoarsely as he tried to maintain a whisper.  
  
Uncle Vernon's large, figure angrily stormed up the stairs. Harry exhaled heavily and gathered his things in the invisibility cloak. He moved up the stairs to his room and pushed everything in his arms under the bed. Finally, he wrote a quick letter to Fred and George and sent out Hedwig.  
  
Still clothed and with his glasses on, Harry fell forward onto the bed and passed into a deep slumber. 


End file.
